The Michael Jackson Fan Club

(26-10-2011) Day 18 of the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. conrad Murray saw several character witnesses take the stand in support of the doctor as Murray's treatment of heart patients at his practices in Las Vegas and Houston was the focus of the day's proceedings.

"I believe that Dr. Murray is not getting a fair shake," said Andrew Guest of Las Vegas, who was treated by Murray for a heart condition. "I believe he needs support and I appreciate his kindness, his caring and I'm alive today because of that man."

Five of Murray's patients took the stand one after the other to give their opinions of him and the doctor grew emotional, at times wiping tears from his eyes.

Guest and other patients rebutted the prosecution’s portrayal of Murray as a money-grabbing doctor who was reckless in his treatment of Michael Jackson and abandoned him after putting him under sedation with a powerful anesthetic.

"If this man had been greedy, he never would have come to an area or community of Acres Homes, 75% of them poor, on welfare and social security," said Ruby Mosley, another of Murray's patients.

Prosecutors have said Murray was motivated by the $150,000-a-month salary he was to receive when he gave Jackson the surgical anesthetic and then left his side.

One longtime patient and friend, Gerry Causey, testified that he had appointments in Murray’s office that lasted over four hours and that after each appointment, Murray would call Causey's wife to explain what he was going on with his care.

Each of the patients talked about how Murray would provide free care or even help pick up the cost of prescriptions for patients who couldn’t pay.

In his cross-examinations of the character witnesses, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren noted that each of them had been treated by Murray for heart-related illnesses and not for insomnia or drug dependency.

The patients also said that when Murray sedated them for procedures, it was always in a hospital setting with proper monitoring equipment and assistance personnel – precautions that he neglected to take with Jackson.

"Every patient deserves that level of care," Walgren asked Guest.
 
"Yes," he answered.

In other court proceedings, after jurors were dismissed for the day, Judge Pastor addressed Murray directly on the subject of whether he plans to testify.
 
"I believe it is my obligation in every criminal case to advise the defendant that a defendant has an absolute right to testify and an absolute right not to testify," Pastor told Murray.

He said he would ask Murray for an answer later in the week, despite his attorneys assertion that it was unnecessary to do so.

"The important thing Dr. Murray, is that it is your decision, nobody else’s," Pastor said.
 
Murray said he understood.

Source: MJFC / latimes.com / reuters.com